The Hidden Darkness (HAITUS)
by TearyBlueMoon
Summary: Lloyd, age 11, is kidnapped on his way home from Iselia by a group of bandits and knocked unconscious. Waking up near the Triet Desert, he is saved by a mysterious man called Samson; however, everything isn't as it seems, as he is pulled into a group calling themselves the "Hidden Darkness." And why is Mithos on the Regeneration Journey? **HAITUS FOR REWRITING!*
1. Prologue

**A/N: Hi there! What to say... Umm... Well, first off, this is my first story, and un-beta'd, so please be kind! I decided to do something a little different for my favourite series, one that has a dark-Lloyd, and I hope that everyone likes what I've done! *sweatdrop***

**Lloyd: What did you do to me? *glares***

**Ah, as to that; I can't say or I'll spoil everything! I wanna see how far I can go with this, and if getting rid of the plotbunnies with my favourite pairing will work, then so be it! ^~^**

**Lloyd: I'm GAY! *horror* WHY am I GAY! *cries***

**Uhhh... because it's hot and I'm a fangirl? Eheheheh... *rubs neck***

**Lloyd: Whatever, I don't care anymore... TT~TT**

**Kratos: Humph... TearyBlueMoon does not own any recognizable characters in this story. Only the OC near the end and this ridiculous plot.**

**On with the Prologue! **

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**Prologue: **Hidden Darkness 隠された暗闇

"Hey, Lloyd! Wait up!"

"Haha, can't catch me!"

"Lloyd, slow down! You're going too fa-aaah!" A small shout was heard, followed shortly after by a soft _thwump_ as a body tripped and fell to the soft dirt.

"Oh, no! Colette, are you all right?" Stopping to look, a young boy with silver hair and baby-blue eyes rushed to the little girl to help her back up. Another boy, with unruly brown hair and chocolate coloured eyes sighed as he moved near the two.

"I'm sorry," the girl, Colette, apologized as she dusted off her white dress.

The older boy sighed. "Don't apologize. It's not your fault you tripped." Shaking his head, he smiled as he crossed his arms behind his head. "Besides, I think it's pretty obvious I'm gonna win."

"Lloyd!" The silverette – a young elf named Genis – admonished the brunette, shaking his head. "That's not nice! Besides, recess is almost over..." Genis looked to the school house's door, spotting his older sister's orange coat, before looking to his friend again.

"Man, Genis. Why'd you have to be such a party pooper? Besides, class is boring! I wish the Professor cancelled class." Lloyd sighed, looking dejected, before Colette giggled.

"Cheer up, Lloyd. I think the Professor's lessons are interesting!" The blonde giggled again, moving to where the other children had gathered, waiting to be let back in the classroom. Lloyd shook his head as him and Genis followed her, Raine giving the two a nod of approval before moving inside herself. When everyone had taken their seats, she stepped in front of the podium, clearing her voice before starting up the last lesson of the day.

"Now class, can everyone take out their textbooks and we'll start history? Turn to page 23..." The 17-year old school teacher was met with a collective groan as they complied, Lloyd already starting to doze off. Colette nudged his side with her elbow, giving the brunette a small smile before turning back to the front of the room. Lloyd grinned and took out his notebook – hell if he was going to study – and started to doodle in it, earning a light giggle his friend. Minutes passed, Lloyd having tuned out the lesson, and was filling in the shadow of a house when a noise above him made him look up; he was met with a stern blue gaze framed by white hair, and a disapproving frown gracing the elven woman's face. "Lloyd, would you care to tell me the name of the spirit who made a pact with the Hero? Or have you decided to get a head start on art class today?" Snickers were heard around the classroom as Lloyd blushed, covering the sketch he had been working on.

"Uhh... It was..." The preteen stumbled for words as he wracked his brain for the answer. "Martel?" Looking to his teacher, he relaxed when she nodded and moved away, releasing a breath he didn't know he was holding.

"Yes, that's correct. Mithos the hero formed a pact with the Goddess Martel to end the war and seal away the Desians. Now, who can tell me where this pact was made?" Raine looked over the classroom, and seeing only one hand in the air, she sighed. Really, did these children not appreciate the importance and joy of learning? "Yes, Genis?"

Upon being called, the 6-year old genius stood up. "The pact was made in the holy ground of Kharlan, where the Goddess Martel resides." Looking proud for knowing the answer, the silverette sat back down, his sister nodding.

"That's right. Afterwards, the hero, Mithos, sacrificed his life in order to save the Giant Kharlan Tree. The Goddess, saddened by his sacrifice, went to sleep at the center of the world, leaving the angels with an edict. Now Chosen One, Colette. Can you tell us what Martel told the angels?"

"Yes ma'am," Colette replied. Lloyd looked up from his notebook, giving the 10-year old girl a smile as she recited the answer before sitting back down. "The Goddess Martel left the angels with this edict: 'You must wake me, for if I should sleep the world shall be destroyed.'"

"That's correct. Afterwards, the angels bore the Chosen of Mana, who shall receive the Oracle on the Day of Prophesy and go on the Journey of Regeneration to awaken the Goddess." Raine smiled, taking note of Lloyd doodling in his notebook once again. She peeked at the clock hanging on the wall out of the corner of her eye, noticing that it was about time to move on to the next – and final – class of the day. "Now class, I think you'll be happy to know that History is over. Please put away your textbooks, and grab your art supplies. Since today is such a nice day, I think art class is going to be outside..." She chuckled as quiet, excited chatter erupted around the class as her students made to pack their supplies away and move for the door, Lloyd in particular.

Once outside, the brunette stretched, his bag slung over his shoulder with his pencils and sketchbooks stored inside. Genis and Colette walked beside him as the three wandered around the street, keeping mind to stay in sight of the school. "Man, am I glad to be outside again!" Yawning, Lloyd sat under the shade of a tree near a villagers' garden, his friends taking their places on either side.

"Geeze, Lloyd. You were just outside half an hour ago!" Genis clicked his blue-white boots together, irritated that his friend didn't appreciate learning. "Besides, how do you expect to get by in life if you don't learn?"

"I think it's alright," Colette piped in, defending her first friend and crush. "I mean, Dirk is teaching Lloyd how to make things, right? And Lloyd, didn't you say you were going to learn how to fight?" Lloyd looked to the blue-eyed blonde, a grin spread across his face.

"Uh-huh, I did. And Dad even said I'm getting better at making charms, too. Pretty soon, I'll be able to make a Key-Crest on my own." He pumped a fist in the air, excited at the prospect of being on the level of a dwarf in crafting. Genis just sighed and shook his head, opening up the textbook he brought and reading as Colette started playing with a dog that had wandered by. Lloyd laughed, taking out the notebook he had been drawing in earlier and colouring in the picture that was there.

Time passed by, and eventually Raine called to everyone that school was over for the day before she wandered over to the three friends sitting under the tree. "Genis, Colette, Lloyd. Class is over for the day. Genis, I'm going to the store to get tonight's dinner, so behave, alright?" She patted her brother's head when he nodded, Colette asking if she could come along. "It's alright, Colette. I'll be fine on my own. Genis, I want you home in an hour, okay?"

"Yes, Raine," Genis nodded again, absorbed in his book as the Professor walked away. Lloyd grinned, before putting away his things and getting up.

"What should we do, then?" Chocolate irises looked over best friends, a satisfying _pop_ resounding from stiff shoulders. "Dad said I didn't have to be home till late, 'cuz he had to fix some swords for a group of travellers, so..." Trailing off, the preteen shrugged.

"Why don't we go to my house? Grandmother was baking this morning," suggested Colette, the girl getting up and dusting off her dress.

"Sounds like a good idea, Colette," the little elf replied in agreement, closing his book and standing up as well. The trio made their way to the Brunel house, and soon found themselves surrounded by the smell of fresh baked bread and herbs. An elderly woman with fading golden hair was seated at the table, sipping a cup of steaming tea when she looked up.

"Welcome home, Colette. Good afternoon, Lloyd, Genis," Phaidra greeted, smiling softly.

"I'm home, Grandmother. May we have a snack?"

"Yes you may, dears. There is bread on the counter for you to eat, as well as some milk in the container for you. Feel free to have some." The head priestess drank some of the tea, before getting up and heading towards the stairs. "I'm going to rest for a little while. These bones aren't as strong as they used to be, and I have to go to the Martel Temple later this afternoon."

"Okay, Grandmother," Colette smiled at the woman, as she gathered cups for her friends.

"Yeah, have a nice nap, Phaidra!" Lloyd told her, while Genis waved before both sat at the wooden table. Colette came over with the milk and bread on a tray, trying her best not to trip, and the three fell into a comfortable silence as they ate. It didn't last long – it never really did – and soon they were chatting about anything and everything; Colette commented on how cute the dog from earlier was, while Genis tried to get Lloyd to study, only for said brunette to fall asleep, causing the blonde Chosen to giggle.

All too soon, however, Genis had to go home, and Lloyd went with him, Colette wishing the two a good night and Lloyd a safe trip home. The male duo walked through the village, waving hello to the various people they saw, until they parted at the elf's home. "My stop, Lloyd. I'll see you tomorrow, okay?"

"Yup, night, Genis. Say hi to the Professor for me, will ya?"

"Sure thing!" At that, the miniscule silverette opened the door to his wooden home, leaving Lloyd in the early evening sun. He turned toward the village's southern exit to find his pet 'dog', Noishe, only to be reminded by the guard to 'stay away from the ranch'. With a nod, the boy and beast – for Noishe was more wolf than dog, if giant wing-like ears and a white and green coloration on an animal the size of a horse could be considered a pet – headed for the Iselia forest.

Noishe whined, earning the attention of his master. "What's wrong, boy?" Noishe whined again, before barking and running off, to which Lloyd sighed. "Man, you hardly ever see monsters bigger than him, and yet he acts as if they are... Oh, well." With a shrug, Lloyd adjusted his pack and strolled along the dirt path, various eyes peeking at him through the bush. As he neared the Human Ranch, he shivered, giving it a wide berth – he never liked going near the place, as the screams and cracking of Desian whips unnerved him – and spotted the river that led to his house.

He jogged to the bank and stooped down, hoping to get a drink, when a rustling in the bushes caught his attention. Looking up and peering into the darkening foliage, he heard a _snap_ as twigs were stepped on, and he nervously called out, "Noishe? That you, boy?" Lloyd hoped it wasn't Desians.

Another twig snapped behind him, and he turned around, only to find a blur before blacking out, falling to the hard ground with a loud _thump_.

* * *

When Lloyd woke up, it was to a pounding headache in the back of his head and a starry sky above him. He shut his eyes and groaned, rolling onto his side, when a gruff voice froze him where he was. "Well, well, well, looks like the runt is finally up. We were wondering when the princess would get up." Lloyd turned his head to the source of the voice, shifting his hands underneath him when he looked to the ground again – only it wasn't packed dirt beneath him, but fine sand dyed red from a nearby fire. The preteen panicked, looking around and backing up from the bandits, only to be met with a swift kick to his side, pain blossoming in his ribcage.

"Ah, ah, ah," one _tsk_ed, "We can't have our little prize escape, can we boys?" peeking through blurry eyes, Lloyd saw the 5 filthy thieves grin and look to him lecherously and Lloyd whimpered; he had heard from the travellers earlier this morning (this morning?) talking about a group of thieves that were kidnapping children and selling them, but had written it off as nonsense at the time. Now he wished he had paid more attention and taken the wooden blades his dad had made him.

"Wh-," Lloyd rasped, throat dry in the cooling night, "what are you gonna do with me?" He tried getting up again, only to shout out in pain as someone yanked on his hair.

The bandit who held him smirked, licking his yellowed teeth as he traced the boy's jaw line with a rusty and chipped dagger. "That's for us to know, _little bird._" The man in rags laughed harshly, his companions joining in, and Lloyd closed his eyes, a single tear escaping down his cheek as he felt as hopeless as what the bandit called him – a little bird trapped in a cage.

The bandits continued their mocking, raspy laughter as the fire crackled and burned, laughing and laughing; Lloyd was trapped, hopeless and unarmed amid a group of bandits near the desert with no hope in sight. True, he had his exsphere, but he was still helpless without a weapon, and four-on-one was a situation even he knew to avoid at all costs. The captive brunette whimpered as more tears escaped closed lids, feeling the rough and grubby hand feel him up before the laughter abruptly stopped.

Peeking an eyelid open, he was met with the sight of a bloody bandit laying face down on the cooling sand, blood glowing even redder in the firelight as a tall figure flicked a slender blade to the side while calmly looking over the rest of his 'opponents'. His silver-blue eyes gleamed with a cold intelligence behind wire-frame glasses, and Lloyd shivered when they landed on him. The man gave out a small 'humph' before stepping forward, and the movement caused the remaining bandits to react.

"Who the bloody hell are you?" one demanded, brandishing a short sword that was in dire need of a proper cleaning. The bespectacled man merely glanced in his direction, before turning back to Lloyd and his captor, the glasses glinting in the firelight. Having been ignored, the sword-wielding bandit snarled, stepping after the mysterious stranger; the bandit gripping Lloyd's hair smirked and raised the rusty knife to the teen's throat. "Don't come any closer, mate. Hehe, wouldn't wanna git the pretty birdie's face ruined, now would we?" Yellowed teeth were bared in a sick grin, Lloyd whimpering when his hair was yanked again. The cold, chipped metal of the dagger pressed into his neck, and the newcomer paused for a moment, as if considering the implications. His silver-blue eyes locked with Lloyd's chocolate orbs once more, tears leaking from the corners; he opened his mouth to speak when the remaining three bandits rushed the tall figure. Lloyd cried out, shutting his eyes at what he knew was an impossible battle, only to open them again in surprise when he heard several _thumps_ and a muttered curse. The bandit behind him let go of his hair and kicked him in the side as he landed, before moving to the lone man amid the corpses of bandits.

"Bastard, just who tha hell are ya?" He shouted. The silver-eyed man glared, raising his blood covered blade in response, before rushing the enraged bandit and knocking the excuse of a weapon out of his hand and pointing the tip of the steel sword to the thief's neck.

"You can either run like the coward you are, or you can die here; it is your choice," smooth and deep, like velvet, the man spoke. The bandit snarled one last time, about to say something in reply, only for the stranger to swipe his blade left to right, as a thin line of red appeared on the poorly dressed man, neck severed. The swordsman _tsk_ed, flicking his blade of blood and sheathing it in the hidden scabbard on his right hip before moving towards Lloyd seated on the cool desert sand.

Seeing what the person did to the bandits, Lloyd backed up, fearful of what would happen to him; seeing this the stranger paused and lowered himself to a kneeling position and softly reassuring the frightened boy. "It is alright, I will not harm you," he said, holding out a gloved hand. Lloyd looked at the outstretched limb then up to the face of the now gentle swordsman, thinking over the possible outcomes of trusting this person.

After what seemed like an eternity – though was a mere few seconds – Lloyd set a determined frown on his face and nodded, taking the hand and standing. "Thanks, for saving me."

"It was no problem. They were merely the dredges of a group I was hired to eliminate; although that they would go so far as to kidnap a young man is beyond my understanding," the man chuckled lightly before turning around and starting to walk away. "I must be off, and I am pretty sure your parents are worried about your whereabouts. Go on home, boy." Lloyd started, before reaching out to catch the black leather cloak.

"W- wait! Please wait!" The man stopped and looked to the brunette, dying embers casting his face in shadow. "Um, please, I don't know how to get back home, and I was wondering..." Lloyd blushed and looked down, letting his hands fall, "You're strong, I mean really strong, and I was wondering, um..." Fidgeting with his hands, the teen trailed off.

"Yes?" Prompted the man, deep voice soft in the night.

"Could you, uhh, possibly take me with you? If you want to, I mean; I understand if you don't, but I wanna get stronger and be a really great swordsman, and today, with this, I realized how helpless I really am... I don't wanna feel that way again, ever." Lloyd paused before looking up again, meeting the amused expression on the older male's face. "Please, I'll do anything! Just, I wanna get stronger, and I can't do that if all I don't have someone to teach me! Please?"

The man smirked, turning to fully face a now embarrassed Lloyd. He crossed his arms, considering the teen's offer, before opening his mouth. "What is your name, boy?"

"Eh? Ah, Lloyd. Lloyd Irving."

"Lloyd, are you sure you wish to be my apprentice? The group I associate with are not the kinds of people who tolerate the weak, nor are they people who fool around; the people who I work with – the organization I am a part of – is striving to make this world a better place, and is not somewhere a child should journey into, especially someone as young as you." He uncrossed his arms and readjusted his glasses, staring Lloyd down. "Are you positive you wish to enter a place like that? Because once you have accepted, there will be no going back to the happy, easy life you have known up until now."

Meeting the intense silver gaze, Lloyd's resolve firmed and he nodded. "I wanna get stronger, and if being with you and making the world a better place is going to help me, then I'll take what comes. Dwarven Vow #1: Let's all work together for a peaceful world!" Fist held in front of him, Lloyd nodded again and grinned at the man in front of him.

"Dwarven vows... I see. You were raised by a dwarf." He sighed and shook his head before smiling at Lloyd. "Very well, Lloyd. I shall take you with me, but understand the importance of what I have told you. Let us be off then, so the night creatures may clean this place of death." Turning away, he beckoned Lloyd to follow, which he eagerly complied. Glancing out of the corner of his eye as the teen caught up with him, he chuckled, "and let me properly introduce myself; I am called Samson, and the organization I am part of is called the Hidden Darkness. Lloyd, welcome to the pack..."

* * *

"_Never did I think that that was the start of something that would change the world forever in a way that no one could have predicted. At the time, I merely looked to Samson as my salvation; all too soon, however, it became apparent that I had been cast into eternal damnation..." **-Excerpt from the diary of the Bloody Red Wolf.**_

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**A/N: Did you like it? *fidget* I have a lot of stuff planned, and I _really_ hope doesn't get rid of all those stories. Yes, this is an 'M' rated fic, and yes there are dark themes, BUT! That's how I planned it, and there's a lot more. **

**Lloyd: You just wanna put me through hell, don't you? *blank stare***

**No, but it is fun messing with you. -_-**

**Kratos: At least _you_ don't have to put up with a deranged man-child, among other things.**

**Lloyd: But she gave me *censored* and had me *censored*!**

**NO! *cover's Lloyd's mouth* You'll spoil the plot!**

**Lloyd: Mmmuphm! Mumph mmph mumph! *struggles***

**Kratos: *sighs and walks away* Please review?**


	2. Chapter 1: 4 Years Later

**Title:** _Hidden Darkness_

**Plot:** Lloyd, age 11, is kidnapped on his way home from Iselia by a group of bandits and knocked unconscious. Waking up near the Triet Desert, he is saved by a mysterious man called Samson; however, everything isn't as it seems, as he is pulled into a group calling themselves the "Hidden Darkness." And why is Mithos on the Regeneration Journey?

**Pairings: **LloydxKratos, others undecided until further notice.

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**Chapter**** 1:** 行く4年…

"_It's been almost 4 years since I arrived here, although I am not quite sure where 'here' is, exactly. You see, when Samson and I arrived at the base of the _Hidden Darkness_, I was unconscious from a head wound I sustained outside of Izoold. We had traversed the Triet Desert, and the bandits and monsters there made good practice for the things Samson was teaching me – he used a single sword when he saved me, yes, but his true style is like mine, a twin blade user. I am pretty sure that wherever they have been keeping 'me' is near the Asgard area, though, and I have not seen Samson since I woke up. No, instead I have seen far worse things, things no eleven-year-old should have to see, much less experience..." __**–Excerpt from the diary of the Bloody Red Wolf**_

Clanging was heard in the dim lighting, voices and the shuffling of feet getting louder as time went on; the figure on the small bed ignored it, instead preferring to write in the notebook held in their hands. Lithe fingers gripped the pencil – now nothing more than a stub from all the use – and dated the entry before closing the pages, storing the worn item away in a tattered pack under the mattress. _"Wouldn't do to have them find it..."_ the figure thought, tensing as the footsteps neared the door, blocking what little light was coming into the cramped room. There was a series of clanks as the lock was released and the boy – for it was a boy – squinted and covered his eyes against the bright light.

"Alright, kid, time to run; you going to listen and behave this time?" A shadowed figure stared gruffly, blocking the light as the teen growled and backed up on the thin bedding. "I'll take that as a _'no'_ then." Soon, the hulking man grabbed the boy's wrists, earning a startled cry and more animalistic growls as he was dragged forcefully into the stone corridor. The boy tripped, long brunette hair obscuring his face where it escaped a tattered blue bandanna, and felt the familiar constricting sensation around his neck that marked the collar they placed on him. The boy struggled, a molten chocolate orb glaring death and a promise of being bitten to anyone who strayed too near, as 2 men escorted the teen to a large open-ceilinged cavern.

Various men and women were on the dirt field already, not bothering to look up from where they sparred, raced, and practiced with various weapons; a gentle breeze blew by and the boy shivered as he was practically dragged to an enclosed portion of the training field where people wearing white lab coats and holding clipboards were waiting.

"Putting up a fight?" One of the lab coats asked, brushing neon green hair behind a very pointed ear – marking him as an elf – and pointed to the open door of the chained-in track. "Put him in there, but make sure the shock-device is attached this time, please."

Nodding, one of the two men – a man with burly arms and short, sandy brown hair – held onto the struggling teen's shoulders as the other swept shaggy black hair out of his eyes before taking a device from a female lavender-haired woman with small, pointed ears. The half-elf – for that is what she was – glared at the male in disdain as he clipped the metal device to the collar and stepped back so his companion could place the boy in the pen.

"No, lemme go, assholes!" Thrashing about, the brunette snarled in rage as his struggles became more frantic. When he neared the open door, he screamed out, earning several stares from the scattered people in the training arena. "I said put me down! Let go! I don't wanna go in there!"

"Now, now. We need you to be a good little boy and complete the testing, alright?" the lavender-haired half-elf from before purred, shooting a glare at the muscled grunt when he winked at her. "It'll only be for a little while, and then you'll be able to do what you want, pup."

"Lies! I swear, when Samson comes to get me-"

"Samson?" The man holding the teen interrupted, earning a laugh from his friend and the researchers. "Boy, you don't realize who it was that told us to do this, do you?" He sneered, beady black eyes glinting.

"Why would I believe a dumb gorilla like you?" The teen spat, still in the death-grip from the older and taller male. "Samson will come for me, and when he finds out what you shitheads have been doing to me..." Trailing off, the teen growled menacingly, glaring death as they all laughed and the spectators resumed their training, having seen this before.

"Listen, _pup,_" the elf from before – marked as the head researcher by a black and red badge on his coat – looked up from the machine he and 2 others were working at, "Samson used you, and the sooner you get that through your thick skull and start obeying our orders, the better it'll be for all of us. Got it?"

Saying nothing, the teen was dragged into the pen and glared at everyone through his visible left eye as the researchers – 3 in total, plus the head researcher – started up the computer and checked everything was working. Locking the door to the pen, the two grunts merely stood by and watched as the boy gave out a startled yelp as a small electrical current ran through his body through the device attached to the collar.

"Run." It was a simple command, and one that the boy had come to loathe over the last 4 years; they wanted to see how long he could run through the obstacle course they had made for him, and shocked him with the device when he stopped. To the brunette standing defiantly, it was nothing more than a sick entertainment for them.

Another shock came through the collar, this time stronger, and the command was repeated again as the young male struggled to get up from his doubled-over stance. "I said, RUN!" One last shock came, sending the teen to his knees and a pained cry to escape, before the scientists sighed and shut off the machine. "Get him out," one of them told the gorillas, motioning to the pen. "He's not going to listen today. Take him back to his room, and make sure he doesn't get away this time." The two nodded and moved to retrieve the boy, when they heard a laugh.

Looking up, they saw the teen standing up and holding something in his clenched hand – the shock attachment – and he threw it at the metal fence, electrocuting the idiot opening the door and effectively startling everyone nearby. There was a click as the door swung open, and the boy made a dash for it, only to be stopped when the other gorilla man managed to get a hold on the faded black shirt and yanking him to the ground.

"Not a chance, pup. You ain't getting away on my watch." The hulk of a man lifted the winded teen over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes and called to his pal. "Mick, you okay, man?"

Groaning, the black haired mass of muscle lifted himself to his feet, holding his head. "Man, I'm gonna have a hell of a headache later. Little shit, shocking me."

The elf sighed, shaking his head. "Just get him out of here, Jeol. Please, before anymore mishaps happen..." Turning away, he went to retrieve the short-circuited shocker with rubber gloves, while the other researchers collected their notes and data, some muttering about 'insolent humans' and 'worthless kids'.

Grunting in confirmation, Jeol carried the out-of-it teen back the way they came, earning giggles and stares from the people about. Huffing, Mick jogged to keep up, making sure to keep an eye on the teen in case he tried to escape again. When they reached the door to the teen's room they didn't bother taking off the collar, instead opting to just toss him in before shutting the door and locking it.

"Fuckers..." the boy muttered, brushing dark brown locks out of his face before sighing and getting up, wincing as his sore muscles made their bruised presence known. "They didn't have to throw me, dicks..."

Moving to the thin mattress by the wall, the teen took out the pack from earlier, retrieving a different notebook from the brown leather. The notebook was worn and tattered at the edges, but he ignored it in favour of opening it to a page quite early on in the book. Seating himself on the meagre bedding, he studied the fading picture in the dim lighting, making out the wooden building and trees, noting the wooden bridge crossing the small stream, tracing the outline of a fading grave in the background. His hand covered the other, hiding the blue gem mounted there, and he sighed wistfully.

"Mom... I miss you. I miss home," he whispered softly. "I wish I could go back, to see you and Noishe, but I can't... Not like this..." lowering his gaze and the old picture, the brunette covered his head, fighting back sobs as he shook. "I hate it here. I wanna go home, but I can't. I'm trapped, and different; you'd be ashamed, I know it." Blinking quickly, the teen shook his head. _"No, I won't cry. I promised myself I wouldn't after that day..."_ he looked at the picture one last time before hiding it under the mattress again; all that remained of his life before the _Hidden Darkness_ was in that bag, and the gem on his hand. The teen took a deep breath and turned onto his side; the only thing he could do now that he pissed off the researchers was to sleep, something he enjoyed quite well.

* * *

_Tap tap tap tap tap._

A finger repeatedly moved up and down, its owner quite irritated. _"Feh, useless mortals,"_ thought the man, seated in an ornate stone throne amid a great hall. Above him, a giant glowing seed floated, a transparent figure visible in the purple glow of the stardust around it. _"Can't even control one measly group of heretics."_

Mithos Yggdrasill stood up from the throne, tired of tapping his finger and wanting something to do. His long blonde hair swayed with the movement, before he phased out of his adult form and assumed that of a young boy. Purple bangles clinking, the green-trimmed outfit flapped silently as he paced in front of the Great Seed. "It's ridiculous, Martel! I mean, so what if they have elves and half-elves working with them; they're all traitors, with nothing to do in the declining world. Kratos and Yuan have been working for _years_ to locate them, but that stupid group of bandits are more stubborn than cockroaches!" The boy-turned-Cruxis-overlord whirled to face his sister's ghost, not caring in the least that his great rainbow wings materialised and he floated up.

"Why, Martel? They should just leave us alone! Why do they even know the nature of the worlds in the first place? They've already captured several angels; it's like they're _trying_ to get in our way! And the Desians aren't doing anything, either!" With this, Mithos kicked a cracking and aged stone pillar, the force toppling the dilapidated relic and causing the Seraph to wince.

"I just want them to leave us alone, that's all. Why can't they let us be?" Gold-blonde bangs shifted to cover the lowered gaze, tears threatening to leak through. Wiping away the offending things, Mithos looked up as the door to the chamber opened, and a robotic angel floated in.

"My Lord, I have reports from Lord Yuan about the vigilante group," it stated monotonously.

"Give them here, and tell Yuan to report directly to me next time." Growling, Yggdrasill took the papers, eyes beginning to scan the pages when the angel spoke again.

"My apologies, my Lord, but Lord Yuan stated that he was in a hurry, and that he does not wish to lose a valuable lead regarding the matter."

The rainbow-winged angel looked up, eyes narrowed. "Oh, did he now?" The question was whispered, venom leaking out of every word.

"That is correct my Lord. Lord Yuan stated that the details would be in his report, and that he will be enlisting Lord Kratos' assistance for the matter," the angel courier stated, oblivious to the death glare he was receiving as his beige wings flapped in a steady rhythm.

"Very well. Leave me." With a nod, the drone bowed to his Lord and left the room as silently as he came in, Mithos floating back to the throne so he could read the 'report', as Yuan called it. _"Now, let's see what that idiot thinks is so urgent..."_ Flipping through the crisp white pages, Mithos came upon a page marked "URGENT" and started to read the small blue script.

'_Mithos, I'll cut the formalities. I found a lead as to the whereabouts of one of the heretic's hideouts, and I don't want it to disappear so soon. You probably already know that I've taken Kratos with me; whether you choose to come along is your own choice, though it would be preferred. _

_One of my men managed to gain Intel on a _"bandit group" _that is staying in the mountainous area near Hima and Asgard; some of the locals in those towns have been claiming that they have been saved by monsters several times and that the "mercenaries", as they call them, always trek back into the mountain; not only that, but several caravans and pilgrimages have been "freed of Desian capture" by "mysterious men"._

_As it turns out, there also seems to be a young boy among their numbers who is extremely fast and adept at fighting; however, I am not quite certain as to how he is related to the _Hidden Darkness_. It's also reported that he has an exsphere, or to be more precise, the Angelus Project; I have kept this hidden from Kratos for now._

_We are heading to a point for a rendezvous before we infiltrate their base; if you wish to meet us, I have taken the liberty of marking it on a map included with the report._

_I'll see you soon,_

_Yuan.'_

"So, they found the Angelus Project..." Mithos mulled over what he just read, weighing the pros and cons of going himself. "If that's true, then it could spell trouble; I don't want Kratos deserting me again." Muttering to himself, Mithos pulled out the map Yuan had included and memorizing the location marked on it before leaving the papers on the seat of his throne.

Floating upwards, he phased back into his Yggdrasill form and called for an angel drone. "Keep watch over the city; I don't want anything happening while I'm gone." With a nod, the drone flew off and Yggdrasill gathered his mana needed for a teleportation spell. Releasing the warm sensation, his vision turned white for several moments before it cleared to show him the cloudy sky of Sylvarant, Yuan and Kratos sitting a little way away.

"So you came," the deep baritone of Kratos' voice called out, face set in a stoic mask of indifference.

"I couldn't miss out on the chance to decimate these filthy heretics, now could I?" The blonde angel smirked and settled on the ground, dismissing his prismatic rainbow wings.

Sighing, Yuan stood up, brushing aqua bangs out of his face. "Good, I was hoping you would. Now, let's get started. I don't want to get caught in an Asgard storm; with the low mana levels, they've only gotten worse." The aqua haired half-elf brushed his cape of dirt, his auburn haired companion doing the same to his own purple swallow-tails. Nodding, Yggdrasill moved towards the other two Seraph, and listened as Yuan filled them both on the infiltration...

* * *

A dream; that's what he knew this was, yet every time he hoped it was real. _'But it always ends, as much as I don't want it to...' _he thought, as a tall shadowed figure lifted the small child in front of him, both laughing merrily. The brunette watched on as his baby self played with the shadows of the people he knew to be his parents, a dull throb aching in his chest. _'Every time... and all I can do is watch as they are ripped apart...'_

There was the sound of barking and shouts in the distance, the shadow figures stopping in their playing and looking to a giant white and green beast. The shouting was nearing and the shorter of the two shadows rushed to the toddler as the taller moved to the other side of the makeshift camp to grab something – a short sword and shield – and called something indistinct to the beast. The shadow people and the beast started running through the light forest, the little child making nervous noises as the shouting grew ever closer. The teen could only watch, almost movie-like, as the family drew closer to a cliff and were ambushed, the woman-shadow and her son being grabbed by men in red armour.

Crying out, the female shadow thrashed as her figure became clearer, to the point where the teen could make out cropped brown hair and chocolate orbs – much like his own – and he started at the sight of his mother, Anna. _'Mom... I'm sorry...'_ Tears silently leaking from pained eyes, Lloyd could only watch; watch as his mother was separated from the exsphere, watch as she transformed into a giant monster, watch as she went for a baby him, only to be protected by Noishe and have his father strike her down whilst crying himself, reddish-brown hair flattening in the coming storm. Lloyd watched on as the leader of the Desians came forth and charged a spell as Anna regained her human form and fell to the ground, murmuring _"I'm sorry"_, and _"Protect our son"_, to her grieving husband, both unaware of the looming threat.

The lead Desian unleashed his spell as the swordsman made to attack the blonde madman, calling forth a green mana-shield as the lightning spell crumbled the weakened cliff behind him; Lloyd watched as his younger self – half-conscious – fell down with the cliff rubble, Noishe, and his dead mother, his view of things moving with it. His vision started to blacken around the edges as baby-Lloyd lost conscious, despair eating away at him as the memory – the nightmare – came to an end and he woke with a start, covered in a cold sweat. He shivered and covered the worn black shirt with his arms, hugging himself to keep in warmth. He looked around the dim room, spotting his blue bandanna on the floor nearby; he snatched it up and quickly tied it around his head.

Looking around the dimly-lit room, Lloyd sighed and got up. Reaching under the thin mattress, he retrieved the worn leather pack and slipped his arms through the thin straps, adjusting it on his back comfortably. He reached under the mattress again, this time pulling out a small dagger, and gripped it tightly before moving closer to the door. Shouts and the sounds of many people rushing reached through to the boy's ears, and he strained to listen before a loud _BOOM_ shook the room, sending dirt and dust free from the ceiling. _'What the... what's happening out there?'_

Inching closer, Lloyd stilled his breaths; the shouts were become louder, and thus more clearer to the listening teen. "What the hell's going on up there?"

"Angels! I saw angels outside!"

"Get everyone armed and out there, quick!"

"Someone go find the boss, we need to make sure he's safe!"

"The angels are killing off all our men! Get everyone out there to stop them!"

'_Angels...? Why would Cruxis be here?'_ Mulling it over, Lloyd stepped back, scratching his head before jumping at a loud _thump_ from the hallway; screams and clangs of metal could be heard before something – or some_one _– hit the metal door to his cell-like room and covered the crack, effectively shutting out all light.

Nervous and slightly scared, Lloyd inched towards the back wall and shut his eyes; hard stone chilling sweat-soaked fabric and flesh, the teen tensed, straining his hearing as he just barely caught a series of clicks. Dark vision growing slightly lighter at the sudden light, the boy shrunk into the dark corner as a tall figure entered to room. _'Two... three... four! Now!'_ Bolting from the meagre hiding place, Lloyd shot past the man – for it was a man – and put of the room, nothing more than a brown and black blur as he weaved through the hallway and past bodies both still and moving. He let himself be guided by sounds, not wanting to see the just what was going on around him, and only opened his eyesight when he felt hard-packed earth under his bare feet.

'_Shit,'_ he cursed in his mind, having found himself at the huge training field. _'Just my luck, the one place I don't want to be...'_ Looking around, he spotted another exit across the large expanse, only to despair when he noticed the group being pushed ever closer to it by a lavender-winged angel; Lloyd gaped and wondered if having hair as bright a blue as the angel's was even possible. _'Holy cow! Could it be any brighter?'_ Shaking his head, Lloyd's ears pricked – people were coming down the tunnel behind him. _'Just m luck... reinforcements. I really don't want to run right now...'_

Huffing, Lloyd weighed his options: either get caught by men who were likely to make his miserable life even worse, or chance a 500-foot distance and get past an angel that will probably try to kill you for being there. _'Believe it or not, I'd rather take on Blue over there. That blade of his looks heavy, and if I'm fast enough, he won't even know I went by him...'_ The bandanna-wearing brunette nodded before crouching down on all fours; as much as he didn't want to, he had to _run_.

Men stomped down the tunnel and shouted as they spotted the crouching figure, while the cobalt-haired angel deftly felled the last of his opponents in the other side of the field with the double-edged Swallow blade. A purple-clad angel with cerulean wings joined him then, and both turned their heads when they noticed the staggering amount of mana being accumulated on the other side of the field; it was then that Lloyd shot off, faster than the eye could see and closer to the ground than anyone would think physically possible without falling.

As the teen neared the two angels, he was oblivious to the fact that his bandanna came undone and was left behind, nor of the fact that his mother's exsphere glinted in the fading sunlight; neither fact went unnoticed by the angels, who tensed at the approaching teen as a pair of _something_ perked above the boy's hair. When Lloyd shot past the two figures, time seemed to slow; he turned his head and saw the shocked faces, wide eyes, and most notably, _the red eyes_. The moment passed, and before he knew it, Lloyd had reached the tunnel, racing through the halls towards a sound that was becoming steadily louder the closer he got – the sound of trees rustling and birds chirping their warning songs for the oncoming storm – and he burst out a set of doors at the end of a narrow corridor to find himself on a lush forest.

It was only when the mountains were far behind him that Lloyd slowed to a stop, breathing heavily, the notion that he was free coming to him slowly. He looked around him, only then noticing that his bandanna was missing, and swore loudly as he fumbled for something – anything – to hide his exposed ears. Finding an old cloth that once held a loaf of bread that Colette had given him, he tied it around his head, sighing in relief when he felt the familiarity of fabric on his head. Resuming his previous task of finding temporary shelter, Lloyd walked at a brisk pace, noticing that the smell of the air had changed. _'Better hurry up; storm's going to be here soon, and I don't wanna get caught in it.'_

He had been walking for a few minutes when he caught sight of some felled trees off of the dirt track, making a sort of shelter; it was just as good, as a light rain had started up and soon gave way to thick globules of water pounding on anything unfortunate enough to be caught in their path. The brunette shifted under the tree-shelter, making himself comfortable as drowsiness fell upon him; it wasn't long before he was sound asleep, despite the thunder and lightning.

* * *

'_I'm going to flay Yuan when we're done here.'_ Growled Kratos in his mind as he felled yet another annoying thug, nerves thoroughly worn out. _'He could've told us how many of them were here, for crying out loud!'_ Slashing to his right, the angel knocked away the sword of another enemy, Flamberge casting dancing red light in the dim hallway. The Seraph pushed his way through the men and sought out the mana signatures of his comrades, finding them engaged in battle as well. _'Seems Yuan's in a open area, and Mithos is stuck in a hallway like me...'_ the auburn haired man mused, cutting down another foe when he noticed another familiar signature. _'What? This is...!'_ Making his way towards the strange, yet hauntingly familiar mana, Kratos developed a small spark of hope.

There in the hallway that greeted him were over a dozen people, frantically shouting out orders and running past several doors; only one of those doors was closed, and it was behind this that Kratos sensed the mana signature.

"Who the hell are you?" One of the men had noticed the purple-clad man and signalled to his buddies; they all turned to face the angel with disgust in their eyes as they spotted his cerulean wings.

"That is not something for you to know," Kratos stated, wanting nothing more than to get to the barred door. He swung Flamberge to his side as he lifted his Arredoval shield, preparing to fight those foolish enough to rush him; apparently, they were all thinking the same thing, and it was not "Don't charge the angel" as they ran forward. It was an easy matter of dispatching them, and soon Kratos found himself unlocking the heavy metal door and stepping into the dark room. Enhanced eyes scanned about in the light provided by the hallway, and the angel took another step in; hearing a slight rustle to his right, he moved towards it when a black blur shot past him startling the Seraph. Kratos turned around and tried to follow the person, only to encounter more thugs further down the hallway who weren't any smarter than their comrades. Navigating his way through the maze-like base, Kratos tracked the mana signature until he found himself with Yuan in the open field.

"So, finally decide to team up?" Yuan joked, breaths coming a little quicker than normal. His cobalt-blue hair was hanging around his shoulders, having come free of it's leather band, and the lavender Seraph's weapon and armor were covered in blood; bodies littered the ground at their feet.

"Humph, they certainly aren't smart," Kratos replied. The blunette snorted before a welling of mana caught their attention across the field from them, and they spotted a group of people coming out of the opposite tunnel to theirs, with a lone figure crouched to the ground.

Yuan was about to speak when the figure shot forward at an incredible speed, to the surprise of both angels, and it was when the black and brown blur passed that Kratos got a good glimpse of the person; dark, reddish-brown locks hung about a slim face, a deep chocolate orb widening in shock while the other was closed shut by a scar. These were startling enough, however it was the pair of _animal ears_ atop the boy's head that gave them the most shock; in the blink of an eye, the teen had disappeared down the dark tunnel and Yuan was shouting to Kratos to get ready for a fight.

'_That was... no, it can't be! Why would...?' _Kratos' thoughts were interrupted by the clanging of metal and the swell of mana, as the thugs descended upon them. Kratos wasn't able to give it much further thought, as more and more men streamed out of the various tunnels, forcing the two Seraph into the air.

"Kratos, we're going to have to use Judgement! There's too many to deal with on our own!" Flying with his back to the purple swallow, Yuan closed his eyes and focused on his mana, Kratos following suit as white feathers enveloped them. They started chanting, combining their mana into one spell; below, the heretics were starting to worry, seeing the two angels glow white.

"Sacred Powers..." Kratos started.

"Shine your ray of Light upon those who have fallen..." Yuan strained to focus the angelic mana into Kratos', combining the two angel attacks.

"Show these souls the path to eternal sleep. Rest in peace, Sinners!" Kratos raised his sword the same time Yuan raised his Swallow blade and finished the spell, releasing the mana.

"Heaven's Furious Judgement!" Giant pillars of white cascaded down through the crevice in the valley's ceiling, raining down on the bandits below. Flames of the purest blue shot out in waves where the pillars of light touched ground, incinerating all those who managed to evade the initial attack, and soon the field was empty of all save the two Seraph in the air. They descended to the ground, feet landing softly on the perfectly undamaged ground.

"Never thought Judgement and Heaven's Fury could be used together; then again, I suppose it was only possible because it was you two who cast them," a childish voice remarked, causing heads of blue and red to turn towards the teen form of their leader, white clothes stained red and giant purple sword held to his side.

"Mithos, how did it go?" Deciding to ignore the obvious insult, Yuan focused on the more important task at hand – whether they managed to eliminate everyone there.

"Fine. There were some fools who decided to try and escape, but I managed to teach them how futile that was," smirking, the insane blonde morphed back to his adult form, white bodysuit free of blood. "As much fun as this was, I believe it is time for us to return to Derris-Kharlan, don't you agree?"

Nodding, Yuan made to retrieve his cape but sighed in frustration when he realized that it was burned in the angel spell. Kratos was thinking about the teen he had seen before, and he realized that the person he had been tracking – the person from the cell room – was the same person that had gone by him and Yuan; the person who was most likely his son. Absentmindedly, he followed his former companions back to Welgaia, not noticing that Mithos had called for some angels to destroy the heretic base, or that Yuan was eyeing him out of the corner of his eye.

There were some things Kratos wanted to check up on, and he would be damned if he didn't get the answers he wanted...

* * *

"Well, well..." A figure mused as it stepped across charred remains of what once used to be bodies. "Seems like my _otouto_ was quite eager to eradicate my base..." Running a hand through obsidian locks, the figure smirked, "And it seems the pup got away as well, how amusing, heheheheh..."

Stepping over another pile of rotting flesh, the figure stooped to pick up a faded blue bandanna; only the edged were singed, as it had miraculously escaped the series of _Eruptions_ the angels had called upon. The evil smirk grew wider, and it wasn't long before the figure started chuckling darkly as dull wings the color of death itself materialized, the figure floating into the encroaching night and disappearing.

"_It's time to hunt for my little wolf..."_

* * *

"_It took me a while to come to the realization that I was finally free of the _Hidden Darkness,_ but when I did, I wasted no time in heading to the nearest town – Luin. There, I spent some months getting back the human traits I had locked up – traits that would have been of no use to my survival before – and lived peacefully. It wasn't until someone had snitched to the Desians about my exsphere, and Kvar, leader of the Asgard Ranch and the Desian from my nightmares, came looking for me personally. I fled town with them hot on my trail, relying on the instincts I had long ago come to realize were now mine, and ran into the one person I thought I would never see again..." __**–Excerpt from the diary of the Bloody Red Wolf**_

* * *

**Lloyd: **What the hell was that? *points up*

**Teary: **Why, Lloydie, that was the first chapter. *grins innocently*

**Kratos: **Humph, I really am going to have to flay Yuan when I see him... *mutters darkly*

**Lloyd and Teary sweatdrop.**

**Teary: **You all really do take a life of you own, don't you? *droops*

**Lloyd: **You think? *sarcasm*

**Kratos huffs and warps away, leaving Teary and Lloyd to bicker... Yuan flies in.**

**Yuan:** Since no one else will do it, I will. Teary only owns the plot and OCs, everything else is NAMCO's property. Please review, or she'll sick Kratos on me, and have the mystery dude at the end come after you. *warps away*

**Lloyd and Teary pause in their bickering.**

**Teary:** *mutters* i'm still sending Kratos after his sorry ass...

**Lloyd:** Before or after you watch the new episode of ToS?

**Teary:** Before. *smirks* Review?


	3. Chapter 2: Meeting You Again

**Title:** _Hidden Darkness_

**Plot:** Lloyd, age 11, is kidnapped on his way home from Iselia by a group of bandits and knocked unconscious. Waking up near the Triet Desert, he is saved by a mysterious man called Samson; however, everything isn't as it seems, as he is pulled into a group calling themselves the "Hidden Darkness." And why is Mithos on the Regeneration Journey?

* * *

_**Chapter 2:**__Meeting You Again…_

An echoing silence filled the halls in the vast indigo-hued castle of Vinheim, giving away the true nature of the majestically eerie area; if one listened closely, however, one could hear the impatient _tap tap tapping_ of a very annoyed person emanating from the antechamber.

"I saw him, Mithos," came the dangerously low growl of Kratos. All three Seraph of Cruxis were gathered, and only them; Pronyma, as well as the other Grand Cardinals and angels, had been barred from the private meeting.

Yuan glanced nervously between his former friend and his beloved's brother; you could cut the tension with a knife, and the cobalt half-elf thought he saw electricity sparking between the two in a standoff. "Guys…" He wrung his favorite cape unconsciously.

Mithos snorted, flicking imaginary dust off of the green-trimmed garb around his shoulders; he had resumed his real form for the time being. "I know nothing of it, Kratos. You bore me with your accusations." Huffing, the teen angel turned and walked away, seating himself near a pillar, all formalities gone at present time.

"Cut the crap, Mithos! That was Lloyd, and you know it!" Kratos was beyond enraged, and it showed; his messy, spiked hair was even more so now, and the purple-garbed male flung his arms out in annoyance. This was the most emotion he had shown since he had been forced to kill Anna, and when he thought Lloyd dead. "That was him, I know it! That was him, with Anna's face! You knew he was there, and you kept it from me, Mithos.

"Why?" the one-word question caught all others present off guard, and Yuan noticed the small tearstains on his companions' cheeks. "Kratos," he mumbled, feeling guilty as he stepped forward. However, before he could do so much as blink, Kratos had turned on his heel, face set in defiance as he made to leave the chamber.

Noticing his former master and the Origin seal leaving, Mithos got up and said, "Just where the hell do you think you're going?"

Kratos paused, his back still facing them as his head turned slightly in their direction. "I'm leaving to find my son," was the reply, before he promptly left, heading to his private chambers to pack what few belongings he had.

Shocked at the outright defiance, Mithos could only shake as his face slowly turned purple with rage. He couldn't believe it! Kratos, his most trusted and loyal companion, had just walked out on him! And all because of that stupid woman's son! Scoffing, Mithos turned and stomped to the chamber of the Great Seed, not even thinking of stopping the man. _'He wants to leave again? Fine! Let him leave! I don't care!'_

Looking between the two, and utterly lost, Yuan could only stare before sighing, hand covering his face. "This is all my fault," he muttered, before leaving to find – and maybe stop – Kratos.

* * *

Looking all around himself, Lloyd paused and listened for hints of approaching danger. 3 days had passed since Kvar had come to Luin looking for him; 3 days he had been evading the Desians in the wild forests between Luin and Asgard. _'At this rate, it'd only be a matter of time before he catches me…'_ Shaking his head, he banished the thought before he trudged on. In the direction he believed Lake Umacy was.

He had heard of the rumors while in Luin, about a unicorn at the bottom of the lake. At the time, he had dismissed them as nothing more than that, just rumors; now, however, he needed to get there if it meant escaping the Desians, even for a while.

Hours passed, and soon twilight seeped through the foliage of the forest. Stopping near a small stream, Lloyd dropped the pack he was carrying; fishing out some stale bread, he looked for nuts and berries he could eat as well, and soon was leaning against a tree's trunk with his meager meal.

"This sucks ass," he said to no one in particular, untying the black and red checked bandanna from his head. Chocolate brown locks were let free, and the previously hidden wolf ears were now exposed to the night air, perked for any sounds nearby. Lloyd sighed again when all that reached his furry ears was nothing more than forest noises.

Normally, Lloyd wouldn't expose them like this, but wearing the bandanna, while keeping the animalistic appendages hidden, greatly muffled his hearing; after the perverted scientists of his former _'family'_ had experimented on him and gave him the wolfen mana, he had acquired all the traits of his 'willing donor' – a young cub that had been caught after it's mother had been slaughtered. Hearing, sight, smell, reflexes and stamina – while still young, even a wolf cub's senses were infinitely better than a human's; they only grew the older Lloyd got, and after being like this for 3 ½ years, he was almost as sharp-sensed as an angel.

Night grew, and Lloyd was starting to drift off to sleep, curled in the tattered brown cape he had bought, when he heard a twig snap off to his left. Looking up, he was instantly alert, ears perked and a barely audible growl escaping his lips. "Who's there?" he called out, only to be met with a small whine as a small brown wolf emerged from the bushes, followed by a larger wolf – most likely it's parent. Lloyd relaxed, and leaned back against the tree once more as the cub stumbled along, the she-wolf keeping an eye on the teen.

Sniffing curiously, the cub inspected Lloyd's hand, before pawing at it and yipping lightly. Smiling softly, the brunette scratched the animal behind the ears, laughing when he (for it was a he) started rolling around. The mother wolf seemed to relax as well, padding along the forest floor to rest by the teen's thigh, fur warm. This wasn't the first time it happened; over the three days of pursuit, Lloyd had been finding wolves all throughout the forest. He had ruled it out to the wolf mana in his body – even he noticed he smelled a bit like them – and had just accepted it as another thing that now defined 'him'.

They stayed like that – Lloyd and the two wolves – until more rustling caught their attention, as well as shouts not too far off. "Shit, Desians." Muttering a curse to himself, Lloyd got up and slung his pack over his shoulders, tying off the bandanna as he jumped the stream. The cub whined and yipped, before the mother wolf gave a warning growl, and they took off, Lloyd doing the same. He ran through the dark forest, narrowly missing trees as the sounds of shouts and footfalls eventually grew distant, until he stopped entirely, breaths coming out evenly.

He was still, not moving a muscle, until he heard it – a snapping of twigs to his right and a little in front of him – and he bolted. He didn't get far, however, when a hand snaked through the trees and took hold of the end of his cape, jerking him to a stop and he fell backwards.

"Well, look who it is!" came the deep voice, and Lloyd froze, turning to look at his captor, face white as a sheet…

* * *

"Kratos, wait!" Yuan hurried after the auburn-haired man as he made his way out of the angelic city, lifeless angels taking no note of the two. "Kratos!" Yuan called again, only for Kratos to stop and turn around, face filled with anger.

"What, Yuan?" he practically spat, irritated beyond belief.

Stopping a few feet in front of him, Yuan hesitated. "I…." he began, before swallowing thickly.

"You're what, Yuan?" the former human questioned, wanting nothing more than to leave.

"Kratos, Mithos only knew that the Angelus Project was there, that's all. I heard of the boy – I only kept it from you to protect you, because I know how much Anna's death hurt you." Yuan avoided the fiery gaze, guilt wracking his slender frame as he wrung his hands. "I'm sorry…"

Kratos said nothing, merely standing there as Yuan visibly crumbled in front of him, before he turned away and resumed walking. Yuan didn't follow; he knew he had made a mistake, and that the friendship they had growing up with one another was truly gone when Kratos said, "Goodbye, Yuan," before he warped through the panel out of Welgaia.

Darkness blurred his vision, before it cleared and showed the inside of the Tower of Salvation and Kratos stepped off the warp pad and headed for the door to Sylvarant. Truth be told, he was glad to leave; the 4 years he had spent with Anna and Lloyd were the best he had had since his family had been assassinated, and in the 12 since Anna's – and supposedly Lloyd's – death, he had felt nothing but a hollow numbness. Recalling a memory, he smiled softly and chuckled as he stepped out into fresh air and being greeted be numerous mountains as the entrance to the tower hid itself from his eye.

"_Oh, come on Kratos! Stop being such a party pooper!" Laughter was heard, a light sound akin to that of chiming bells as a woman with chestnut hair twirled around in the flowered field, a giant green and white beast barking beside her. "Just enjoy the day; Kvar's not gonna catch us, alright?" She bent and grinned, her shoulder-length hair blowing in the warm breeze as she picked up a babbling toddler who was reaching for her._

Kratos shook his head and pulled out the cerulean wings before taking off in the direction of Luin. It was the nearest town to where the base of the _Hidden Darkness_ was, and Kratos' best bet of finding Lloyd. Hours passed and Kratos came upon the small town. _'I hope I'm not too late…'_ he thought; it had taken him some time to find out all he could about Lloyd's relation to the group, and even more to confront Yggdrasill about it, and he hoped Lloyd had not moved on.

Kratos descended a ways off, dismissing his wings and adjusting the wing pack-backpack on his shoulders; dressed casually in a black long-sleeved shirt and jeans, with his sword belted on his hip and the disguised wing pack was his best option – that, and he no longer wished to wear his usual purple mercenary attire, nor his white Judgment uniform. Stepping on the wooden bridge, he made his way to the inn and booked a room for the night, and after storing his things in the room, he stayed in the tavern to overhear the gossiping townsfolk.

Minutes turned to hours, and Kratos was getting impatient as he sipped on his second mug of beer, the mindless chatter of the drunks wearing his nerves thin. Then he heard it, news of Lloyd – or to be more specific, Kvar.

"Didja hear 'bout the kid Kvar's chasin'?" one drunk asked, voice heavily slurred as he leaned into his companions.

"Ya mean the kid tha' was staying here last coupla months?" another asked, to which he got a nod. Kratos' interest piqued, and he discreetly leaned in, eager for more information.

"Yeah, poor kid 'parently got inta some sorta trouble with tha' Ranch, somethin' about stealing a project of some sort. Poor kid booked it soon as he saw 'em Desian bastards," a third claimed, swaying violently all the while in his seat.

Kratos took the information in as the three drunks all huddled closer and moved onto another topic, calling for more drinks. Getting up, Kratos paid for his drink and went up to his room, thinking over what he heard. _'So Kvar's after the Angelus Project… and Lloyd's already left Luin.' _Lying on the bed, Kratos tried to drift off, but thoughts of Kvar finding Lloyd plagued his mind and kept him awake. He'd have to leave in the morning, but where Lloyd would go was a mystery, Kratos recalling a mental map of the area. There was the Tower of Mana to the north, the Ranch northwest, and Asgard was a few day's travel east and Hima to the south after going along the mountain range. Then Kratos recalled the local rumors; Lake Umacy was quite a ways away to the north of Asgard, but it was secluded, and hard to find as it was said to be protected by the sleeping unicorn that resided there.

'_Lake Umacy would be his best bet, even if he doesn't know about that part…'_ Kratos decided, and when the morning came, he shopped for extra supplies and a cloak before leaving through Luin's northern exit and pulled out his wings.

"Lloyd, don't die…"

* * *

"Hello, Lloyd," smiling, the figure reached a hand down to the shocked brunette, glasses glinting in the moonlight seeping through the trees. Trembling slightly, Lloyd took the offered hand and stood up, not believing his eyes. "I am sorry to have startled you. It has been a while."

"Samson!" the relieved cry was all the warning before the teen launched himself at his mentor, laughing hysterically before burying his face in the warm chest. "I cant believe it! Its really you!"

Laughing softly, Samson pet the teen's head, taking note of the bandanna and what was hidden beneath it. "Yes, it has. Now, is something the matter? Why are you not with the others?" Samson felt the boy stiffen before he pulled back, concern written on his face. "Lloyd?"

"I hate it there, Samson…" came the muttered reply. Sighing, Lloyd looked up into silver-blue eyes, grief written in their dark brown depths. "I mean, sure it was fine for a while, but after you left, after the first few missions…" shaking his head, a choked cry escaped Lloyd's lips as he recalled the dark memories. "They—they experimented on me, Samson! When they found out I had an exsphere, they started treating me like some sort of lab rat and now! And now-"

"Lloyd." Lloyd looked up, his fists curled up at his sides as Samson merely looked at him, just looked. Lloyd grew nervous under the blank gaze, and it wasn't until Samson had pulled off his bandanna did Lloyd sense something was wrong.

"Samson?" He stepped back, hands flying to hide his ears as a smirk grew on the black-haired man's face.' Wh-what are you-"

"So it did work… interesting," hummed the taller male, and Lloyd's fear of the situation only grew worse as he pieced together the puzzle pieces.

"Worked? What… Samson, what's….?" Lloyd backed up further and gave a start when his back met a tree. "So… so it's true, what they all said?"

The older male merely stepped forward and grabbed the quivering teen, who only just noticed the other's scent; Kvar's scent lingered on him, and Lloyd's eyes widened as he realized what that meant, only to have them widen further when his lips were crushed by the Samson's.

Lloyd struggled to get out of his former savior's grip, only to have his hands pinned against the tree with one of Samson's. The teen made to shout, but instead had his mouth invaded by a tongue as the bespectacled man moved his hand from Lloyd's chin and down to the collar of his cloak, undoing it; the brown material fell to the ground as the hand snaked under the mortified teen's shirt, whimpering under the assault and gasping when a nipple was pinched.

Samson smirked; relishing the control he had over his little pup, and pulled back from the kiss to whisper in the brunette's ear. "You're mine, pup, and never forget that." Lloyd only whimpered, the hot breath only confusing him further as his hands were released. He made to push away the bigger male, only to gasp and cling onto him when the hand that had previously been above his head had swiftly undone the belt of his pants and grasped his semi-hard erection.

Moaning pitifully, Lloyd was nothing more than a rag doll as the black-haired man pumped him, unfamiliar warmth pooling in his lower abdomen, and it wasn't long before Lloyd came with a cry, biting his lower lip as tears he had been fighting back spilled onto his flushed face. "Mine, Lloyd. Never forget that," came the growl, and Lloyd barely registered the fact he was being turned around; tears blurred his vision and his heart pounded in his ears, and it wasn't until he felt a prodding in his ass that he realized what was going to follow.

"No…" he whispered the plea, only to have the evil smirk grow. "No, please… don't…" Lloyd cried, screaming when Samson thrust into him. Tears flowed faster out of melting chocolate irises, and pale skin turned red from where Samson's hands held Lloyd's hips – there was no doubt in Lloyd's mind it would bruise – as the older thrust in and out of the younger violently. Lloyd continued crying, feeling the warmth build up again against his will, and soon Lloyd came again against the bark of the tree. Samson thrust a few more times, before he, too, came, and instead of pulling out of Lloyd, he continued to rape the teen, crushing the tail between their bodies as a hand snaked to the brunette's front and grabbed the cock. Lloyd cried harder, not wanting this in the least, but his body betrayed him as he grew harder under the erratic pumping in front and the continuing abuse of his ass in behind until he twitched and sprayed white cum over the already stained tree.

Smirking to himself, Samson finished off and pulled out, letting the smaller body fall to the ground as blood and cum seeped out of the shivering, sobbing teen. The silver-eyed man chuckled – quietly at first – until it built up and he was laughing hysterically at the almost black forest canopy. Looking down, he asked, "Do you know why I save you that night, little _pup_? It was because I have a grudge, you see. Some people decided to do something very bad, and ruined all the fun I was having during the Kharlan War. You see, little pup, I'm the type of person who feeds off of bloodshed; takes pleasure in friends cutting down friends." Samson spread his arms, as his smirk grew ever wider, a malicious glint came into his eyes. "You see, Lloyd, I was born in a village where my kind was despised. I got lucky, though, because someone was kind enough to take me in and raise me. However, the people there were never my family; no, that pacifist-loving bitch and her blonde little brother were exiled long after I left their half-breed hating mother, long after I had come to realize my true nature." At this, wings materialized, as dull as black death, and Lloyd whimpered at the sight of them; they just weren't _right_, those wings.

Samson continued, unaware of an approaching presence in the shadows, "You see, little pup, I had come to enjoy the bloodshed of the Kharlan War, and when those peace-loving freaks came along and ended it, even going so far as to split the world, well, I just couldn't stand by and watch, now could I?" The malicious glint grew as the deranged demon-man stepped forward, picking the terrified teen by the throat. "I wanted things to stay where they were, so I decided to cause my little _otouto_ and his friends some trouble." He leaned in close, as Lloyd struggled to breathe, pants dangling by his ankles before he was suddenly dropped to the ground, breath rushing out of him as he registered a hiss.

Kratos stood in front of the abused teen, sword drawn out and pointing at the male figure before him as cerulean wings gave off a blue glow. "I thought I smelled something rotten," he murmured, checking on Lloyd out of the corner of his eye.

"Kratos…" hissed Samson, whom was crouched to the ground. Silver-blue eyes narrowed behind his glasses as he straightened, claws seeming to grow from his hands.

"Samson, how nice to see you again," replied Kratos, tone even as Samson tried to circle around to Lloyd; Kratos was having none of that, and stepped in front of him protectively as the teen coughed and looked on, pulling up his pants with shaking hands.

"Too bad it wont be the last, Kratos," came the hiss as the other moved back. He looked to Lloyd as he faded into the shadows, meeting the terrified gaze. "Never forget, _pup_; you're mine…"

Lloyd shivered before scrambling back from the newcomer, before he paused and peered at his face. '_Where have I…?'_ Came the thought, before Kratos sheathed his sword and knelt down on the ground.

"Are you alright, Lloyd?" came the gentle rumble, and Lloyd was surprised to find the stranger knew his name.

"How do you…?"

"I saw you, at their base, remember? You passed by me and a… former companion of mine," was the explanation, and Lloyd clicked it together; he was the angel he had run past to get free. But that didn't explain how he knew his name, and Lloyd grew wary, drawing back before a pain reminded him of what happened, making him hiss in pain.

Kratos frowned, he had assumed something happened, considering Lloyd's pants were down, and this only confirmed it. "Here," he said, reaching out and calling upon healing mana as his hands glowed green. He muttered a chant under his breath before calling out, "Healing Stream," and an earthy scent filled the clearing. When the glow faded, Lloyd looked up, noticing his back was in a lot better condition, and stood up slowly.

"Who are you? And why do you know my name?" Lloyd asked, not sure on who this person was entirely, but somehow getting a feeling of déjà vu from him…. That, and he felt he could trust him for some reason, felt he was safe.

Kratos sighed; he had been expecting as much, and merely pulled the locket off of his neck, holding it out to the flinching teen. "My name is Kratos Aurion…. And I'm your father, Lloyd."

* * *

'_Most of my childhood is blurry; the only real memory I have is of that day on the cliff. I guess the events of that day were traumatic, and it affected my memory. Regardless, I had found my father, if in the worst of circumstances. Heh, I guess that what happened beforehand affected me as well, because before I realized it, before either of us noticed, I had fallen in love with my dad…' **–Excerpt from the diary of the Bloody Red Wolf**_

* * *

**Teary:** i think that was enough angst, right?

**Lloyd stares in horror at authoress.**

**Teary: **Lloyd...? ***pokes his cheek***

**Lloyd starts crying and runs away as Kratos comes in.**

**Kratos:** If you did anything to him...

**Teary shivers under the glare before he walks out.**

**Teary:** An..Anyway! Welcome back! I read allll of your reviews, and i thank you all sosoSO much! e-Cookies for all!

**Teary hands out e-Cookies to readers.**

Well, while it may be a day late (its Sunday) i Hope you enjoyed! And to clear up some questions:

**I'm Sexy:** *laughs* Yes, it is Kralloyd! and i dont mind if she's crazy, arent we all? *wry grin*

**Dream Catcher:** Hehe, taht's ok, i forget mine sometimes, too!

**Ann:** Haha, i think i kinda explained that in the chappy. and yeah, i agree that is being all hsld;f. Why cant they stop it already?

**SuperKawaiiMochi:**haha, nope! No Yulloyd in this, just the standard Yuartel, and some Kruan bro moments. Expect some Githos, though! and maybe some... hmmmm... *wanders off*

**Freaking Gosh:**Haha, i love me too! thanks, though! *hugs*

And to everyone else! Arigatou! *bows* Now, time to find and torture Yuan! *walks off whistling a cheery tune*


	4. Chapter 2b:

**Chapter 2.5:**

A figure walked along a precarious mountain trial, humming a tune to himself in the night as he made his way towards what seemed a cliff's edge. Glasses shone in the moonlight, and one would think he would pay attention to the dilapidated **"Cliff Ahead"** sign; instead, the male walked past the meager wooden barriers, ignoring everything completely. If people were there to witness it, they would think he would fall to his death, only to be shocked by the male disappearing completely.

Still humming to himself, the male opened silver-blue eyes as he proceeded to step into a high-tech facility – a facility hidden from people's prying eyes – and placed his hand on a scanner for entry further into the building. The scanner beeped and shine green, the metal door opening with a _swoosh_, and soon the man was walking comfortably along bright metal halls. Closing his eyes briefly, he sighed and rested a now-crimson gaze on the various people in the corridors. Males and females alike were dressed in outfits of varying styles – a female Desian guard was talking amiable with a Nobleman of Meltokio; two scientists were laughing to a half-elf farmer's joke – but all paused and bowed their heads when the male passed by them.

Smirking triumphantly, short black locks started to lengthen and pale as he kept walking further, reaching a deeper part of the facility and stopping before a double-wide oak door. He knocked, opening the door and entering, before shutting it and bowing respectfully to the room's sole occupant.

"Master…" the figure said, long tresses as pale as the moon curtained his face. His addressee merely nodded in response, silver-blue eyes focused on the open book in his hands as he stood before a bookcase.

"Chalen." The man stated, not looking up. "Your report?"

"Yes, Master." The silverette – Chalen – replied, a wicked grin on his face as he giggled impishly. "It went very well! Oh, the little pup swallowed _every_ lie I fed him, like a starving puppy! Ohh, and he was so delicious, too, Master! I can see why you like him!" Spinning around, Chalen continued to giggle as he smiled wider, revealing razor-sharp fangs. Bringing the dramatics to a halt, the demon paused, serious. "There was one snag, though. That vile _angel_-" he spat out the word, "had to ruin my fun and save his little pup. I wasn't even done yet!"

Closing his eyes, the other male released an inaudible sigh, closing the book with a sharp snap, effectively making Chalen jump. "Kratos came for the boy?" Chalen flinched at the cold, empty, _dead_, gaze, nodding frantically. "I see…."

Turning back around, Samson muttered, "He came sooner than I thought…. No matter." Replacing the book on the shelf, Samson took a seat in the leather chair behind the wooden desk, interlacing his fingers and resting his chin on them. "My little brother seems to have a knack for being… _early_, when it concerns schedules." Glasses reflected the light of the dimly-lit lamp on the desk, helping the dark curtain of hair to hide his eyes.

Swallowing nervously, Chalen fidgeted with the deep green tunic he wore. "M-master?"

"You may leave, Chalen. You did well, all things considered, in reminding our little _pup_ who it is he really belongs to," voice smooth like velvet, the dismissal was clear, and the servant was quick to comply, albeit with a very eager thank you.

Closing his eyes once more, Samson chuckled softly to himself, before spinning around in his chair to look at a painting on the wall above him. It was faded, but if one looked closely, they would see a family of five, all happy, and only one with red irises among the blue-eyed family.

"Very soon, little brother, you will once again remember your place; after all, I already have my nephew by my side…"

* * *

**A/N: Hey! I know its been awhile - and short - but with work and my personal life, I couldnt find the time to write! So, here's a little insert chappy for you all, just to clear up some things! ^~^**

**Chalen: *huggles authoress***

**Teary: *pries Chalen off* Down! Proper gentlemen do not glomp the authoress! *shakes head***

**Chalen: But, Mistress! You finally put me in print! *he squees***

**Teary: Yes, and? *blank look***

**-Chalen wilts-**

**Teary: As to Chalen's name, it's pronounced like '_challenge'_ but without the '_ge_'. And he;s not a vampire, but instead a shapeshifting demon; kinda like a doppleganger, but can imitate anyone he's tasted (refer to chap 2- scene 4: lloyd gets raped). I call him a Mirror Man.**

**-Chalen turns into Samson- **

**-Samson walks in-**

**Samson: What are you doing, Chalen? *folds arms***

**-Chalen pales and sheens back, apologizing profusely-**

**Samson: That's enough, and it is not what I came here for. *walks up to authoress, shoving drafts in her face* What are _THESE?_**

**Teary: *blank look, then wicked grin* My drafts.**

**Samson: For what? -insert glare of death here-**

**Teary: *sing-song voice* No~thing~!**

**-Samson grumbles, flipping through pages-**

**Chalen: What are they? *takes a peek, before gasping* You didn't!**

**Teary: I diiiiid! *giggles impishly* Im putting up your guys' BLOOPER SCENES! **

**-Teary laughs full-out as Samson and Chalen back away, afraid for thier lives. OlderLloyd walks in-**

**OlderLloyd: Oooooiiiii, when will i come up? **

**-everyone turn to stare at him, making him nervous. Teary giggles impishly again, as Sam and Chalen bolt-**

**OlderLloyd: Nani? *tilts head***

**Teary: Ohhhh, this is going to be fun...**

**-evil laughter is heard as OlderLloyd screams and tries to run-**

**Kratos: Review, if you would? -never noticed, like a baws-**


	5. Chapter: NOTICE TO READERS

**Chapter: **NOTICE TO READERS****

**Teary:** _*bows deeply*_ I'm sorry for not being around in a long time! It's just with work, and then school starting back up, it somehow got pushed to the back of my mind!

**Lloyd:** So…. You're writing more chapters?

**Teary:** Yes! I am, really, I'll start it up again! But, I noticed how rushed I, uhh, made some of the plot points, so, uhmmm… eheheheh. _*rubs neck*_

**Lloyd:** _*sighs*_ What is it?

**Teary:** I'm planning on re-writing the story so it runs better. I'm still keeping everything the same-

**Chalen:** YES! I'm not some expendable plot point! _*cries dramatically*_

**Teary:** _*smacks Chalen*_ Down! And yes, he's staying, but I'm introducing him in a better way, one that's not so, how do you say it….

**Kratos:** Idiotic and plot-revealing?

**Teary:** _*sweatdrops*_ Exactly! I'm planning on doing the same thing as Metamorcy-sensei, in that I'll plan out sever chapters ahead so I'm not stumped and b.s'ing as I go, thus ruining what I had in store.

**Lloyd:** _*snorts*_ Didn't you have that in mind when you started this fic?

**Teary:** Eeehhhhh…eheheheheheh…. _*looks away*_

_*Lloyd chases after the authoress as Kratos sighs and drags Chalen back to his rooms*_

**Yuan:** _*walks in and looks around*_ WHY do I ALWAYS miss the good parts? First the bonus episode, and now this?

_**MORAL OF CHAPTER: **the authoress, in her finding of new games *coughLastStorycough* work, school, and ex-best friends, this story was forgotten. Looking over it again, she decided to make improvements, a.k.a a total re-write. Expect chapters sometime around late-December._

**Teary:** Farewell! And I'm sorry! _*bows again*_


End file.
